Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 28: Year 1
Morning, Psalm 107:33 to 43, and Psalm 108; Evening, Psalm 33;
Isaiah 65:17 to 25; Revelation 22:14 to 21; Matthew 18:21 to 35:
“For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice for ever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight.” (Isaiah 65; 17 and 18)
I visited the City of Jerusalem during my Holy Land tour in February of 2018. The picture that heads this blog of Israel from Lake Galilee was taken from that trip. I was not impressed with Jerusalem. Even Jesus remembers it as a city that kills the prophets. (Matthew 23:36)
Perhaps a new earth with a Jerusalem as a joy is a wonderful idea. However, not remembering human sin causes me some concern. I forget when or where I heard it said but it is true that unless we remember where we went wrong, we will go wrong again. The sin of the inhumanity to humans by humans is heartbreaking and awful. I so want a new way to live together with all humanity. But I think collectively we need to justifiably feel sad about much of our past and teach our young ones to watch their thoughts and attitudes towards others. The nationality, language, skin color, sex, sexual orientation, diet nor anything else should ever hinder our ability to love the other.
I pray the new earth and new Jerusalem prevents discriminating barriers from being built at all. Hey, I have an idea! Why don’t you and I live in joy as citizens of that new earth and that new Jerusalem now? We’ll delight in doing the Lord’s work.
As we listen to what the Spirit is saying to us, let us live to love, to serve, and to teach, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 